Vehicle-top



(No Model.) 7

T. B. MGGURDY.

VEHICLE TOP.

N0.36'7,540. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

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ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS B. MCCURDY, OF LANCASTER, TEXAS.

VEHICLE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,540, dated August 2,1887.

Serial No. 240,019. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. McOURnY, of Lancaster, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Vehicle-Top, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a novel form of vehicle-top, the object of the invention being to improve the construction illustrated, described, and claimed in Letters Patent No. 305,832, granted to me on the th day of September, A. D. 1884.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a crosssectional view of a va hicle top and body, representing the same as it appears when constructed in accordance with the terms of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the vehicle-top, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is aseetional plan View taken on line war of Fig. 2; and Fig. at is a detail view illustrating the construction of one of the curtain-supporting-frame clips.

The vehicle-top forming the subject-matter of this application is supported by bows 10, that are stepped in sockets l1, and these bows may be supported in any other desired manner. Each of the bows 10 is formed with a rabbet, 12, said rabbets being formed at each outer corner of the central bows, 'while with the end bows the rabbcts are formed only at that outer corner which is toward the center of the vehicle-body. Upon one side of the hows the rabbets are carried through to the inner face of the bow, as shown at 13 in Fig. 1, and in each of the rabbets formed as above described there is mounted a flat metallic strip, 14, the ends of these strips overlapping and turning up abruptly, as shown at 15, these turned-up ends serving as stops for the clips which slide upon the strips, as will be hereinafter explained.

The top proper of the vehicle is covered byeanvas, oil-cloth, or other proper material, which material is shown at 16, said material being supported upon longitudinal strips 17, the under faces of these strips being cutaway between the bows in order to provide for the passage of the curtain-frame clips, the strips being thicker at the points where they are connected to the bows, as shown at 18.

The side curtains, 30, of the vehicle-top are secured to frames which are made up of vertical side lengths, 19, which lengths are preferably formed from spring-steel, lower connecting lengths, 20, upper connecting lengths, 21, and intermediate lengths, 20, said parts being firmly united in any manner desired. To the side lengths, 19, there are secured bifurcated clips 22, which extend out and receive the strips 14., which strips serve as ways or guides for the curtain-frames. The intermediate lengths, 20, hold the curtains from bagging.

By constructing a vehicletop as above described the side curtains may be forced upward to positions beneath the top proper, the strips 14 serving as guides upon which the curtain-frames slide. The sockets 11 serve as stops to limit the downward movement of the curtain, while the bent ends 15 prevent the too great upward movement of the cue tains.

The construction above described presents all of the advantages recited in connection with the apparatus set forth in the patent above referred to, together with the advantage of a reduction in the cost of manufacture and greater ease of manipulation.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- V 1. The combination, with rabbeted vehiclet0psupp0rtiug bows, of strips mounted in said rabbets, curtain-snpporting frames, and clips carried by said frames and arranged to engage the bow -strips,.substantially as de- 1 scribed.

2. The combination, with rabbeted vehicletopsupporting bows, of strips mounted in said rabbets and provided with overlapping upper ends, curtainsupporting frames, and clips carried by said frames and arranged to engage the overlapping strips, substantially as deseribed.

8. The combination, with rabbeted vehicle top-supporting bows, of strips mounted in said rabbets, and provided with overlapping upper portions and abruptly bent ends, curtain-snpporting frames, and clips carried by 13, to the lower face of the strip, curtainsaid frames and arranged to engage the oversupporting frames, and clips carried by said 10 lapping strips, substantially as described. frames and arranged to engage the strips 14,

4:. The combination, with rabbeted vehiclesubstantially as described. 5 top-supporting bows, of strips 14, mounted THOMAS E. MOGURDY.

in said rabbets, one of the strips being ear- \Vitnesses: riedover the upper face of the strip, While EDWARD T. KING,

the other strip 'is carried through an opening, \VOODSON P. COOLIDGE. 

